bought

== English == === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈbɔːt/ (General American, without the cot–caught merger) IPA(key): /ˈbɔt/ (cot–caught merger) IPA(key): /ˈbɑt/, /ˈbɒt/ Rhymes: -ɔːt Hyphenation: bought Homophone: bot (cot–caught merger) === Etymology 1 === See buy. ==== Verb ==== bought simple past and past participle of buy. ==== Adjective ==== bought (informal, politics) Compromised by money from special interests; corrupt. ===== Usage notes ===== It is common to hear native English speakers (particularly in Australia, New Zealand and Britain) use "bought" when meaning "brought" (and vice versa) despite the fact that the two words mean different things [2][3]. Sometimes this mistake makes its way into print [4], [5], [6]. ===== Synonyms ===== bought and paid for ===== Derived terms ===== === Etymology 2 === From Middle English bought, bowght, bouȝt, *buȝt, probably an alteration of bight, biȝt, byȝt (“bend, bight”) after bowen, buwen, buȝen (“to bow, bend”). Cognate with Scots boucht, bucht, bout (“bend”). More at bight and bout. ==== Alternative forms ==== bout, bowt boughte, bughte ==== Noun ==== bought (plural boughts) (obsolete) A bend; flexure; curve; a hollow angle. A bend or hollow in a human or animal body. A curve or bend in a river, mountain chain, or other geographical feature. The part of a sling that contains the stone. A fold, bend, or coil in a tail, snake's body etc. === References === “bought”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC. The Oxford English Dictionary. === Anagrams === hog tub, hog-tub, hogtub